Plans
by Deandra
Summary: A young man has surprise plans for Morwen. Fluffy little ONE-SHOT. Part 171 of the Elfwine Chronicles.


_**Part 171 of the Elfwine Chronicles. The Elfwine Chronicles are a series of one-shots built around the family group of Eomer, Lothiriel and Elfwine. The total number will depend on how many ideas I get for new vignettes.**_

_**A/N: Quite some time ago, someone suggested a Chronicle dealing with "protective" older brothers. I didn't think anyone would dare brag about something they had not done with the King's daughter (even something they had done!), so it's taken awhile to think of a scenario that might work.**_

_**Real life continues to be challenging, and "creativity" comes in small spurts when I'm not overly tired or distracted. CM Cruz sent a plot bunny my way that struck a chord, and I've begun working on that, but it may take awhile to reach completion as it requires me doing quite a bit of research to find material to feed the story line. It is (lol!) yet another E/L scenario, if you can believe it!**_

_**And if you haven't yet stumbled on it, Lialathuveril has a wonderful new Eomer/Lothiriel tale posting, called "On the Wings of the Storm". She's up to Chapter 3, and it's really quite different and captivating. Check it out!**_

**Plans**

**(April, 29 IV)**

The older boys had gathered along the wall of the hall, away from the activity presently taking place. The spring festival began with a feast and dancing, and now that the meal was ended, the men were pushing tables out of the way to clear the floor.

"Tonight…tonight I will steal a kiss from Morwen!" bragged Dunstan. "She is too timid to refuse me!" He eyed the girl, standing near her sister at the head of the hall. She had become quite a beauty in the last year, and her family's efforts to help her overcome her shyness and participate in gatherings was beginning to take root. Now, instead of disappearing once the dancing began, she remained in the hall. She was still hesitant to dance with anyone other than her brothers, but between two older brothers, their friends and the sons of her parent's friends, she usually found enough partners that did not overly intimidate her.

"Are you mad?" Anwynd asked. "You will upset her and she will tell her father! The King will have your neck!"

"Not so," Dunstan replied, more confidently than he felt. "She is just shy, but if I make sure she enjoys it, then she will not be upset, and therefore will have no need to tell anyone!"

Anwynd wasn't entirely convinced that his reasoning was sound in the matter, and commented, "Better you than me! She is lovely, to be sure, but I would never risk the ire of Eomer King!"

Their friends murmured concurrence, but Dunstan was undaunted. "Just wait and see! You will all envy me before the night is done!"

Theodred stood in the shadow of a pillar, his face scrunched in a frown at what he had overhead the boys saying. At only six years, he was not entirely clear on what they were discussing, but he knew that it involved Morwen, and he did not think that it was something she would like. Decisively, he turned on his heel. Theomund would know what to do!

He had not made it far across the room toward his brother before a hand fell on his shoulder, drawing him to a halt. "There you are, little man! It is time for you to be off to bed!" his mother told him sternly, though her smile softened her words.

"But Mama! I must talk to Theomund first!" he exclaimed anxiously.

Reaching for his hand, she answered, "You may speak with your brother tomorrow, dearest. It is bedtime now."

He dug in his heels, keeping her from leading him away. "No, Mama! It is important. I have to do it now!"

As Lothiriel looked down at her youngest son's face, she could tell he definitely had something on his mind, and the boy could be most determined when he got an idea in his head. Still, though he sometimes complained about going to bed, he had never actively resisted before. Deciding to trust him to be telling the truth and not just postponing the inevitable, she told him, "Five minutes. That is all. I will wait for you by Papa's throne."

"Thank you, Mama!" he answered, giving her a quick hug before dashing off to find Theomund.

With all the tall, grown up people, it took a minute for him to again locate his brother and weave through the crowd to reach him, but at length he did so and snatched at Theomund's hand. "Theomund?"

Glancing down, Theomund broke into a grin, then hefted his younger sibling up into his arms. "Should you not be off to bed, little brother?" he teased, tickling the boy's stomach.

Temporarily distracted, Theodred giggled, but then became solemn again. "I have to tell you something! I heard some boys talking and I think they are going to make Morwen unhappy."

Instantly Theomund's face sobered, and he questioned, "What do you mean, Theodred? Make her unhappy how?" His brother was a prankster, but he was truthful. Theomund could not imagine he would wear such a worried expression if something did not have him concerned.

"They said… Dunstan said he was going to kiss her. Some of the others said Papa would be mad if he upset Morwen, but he said she would like it and would not tell Papa. Will Morwen like it, Theomund?"

Theomund's eyes narrowed, and began searching the room for Dunstan, until he located him leaning cockily against a pillar across the hall. At length, he answered, "No, Morwen will not like it, little one. You run off to bed. I will take care of this so he does not upset her. You did right in telling me about it."

"Good night, Theomund!" the child said, hugging his brother's neck, before being let down to scurry back to his mother.

Theomund's attention had already turned from Theodred, and now his eyes were coursing the hall, searching out Morwen and Elfwine. Morwen was chatting with a couple of friends near the front of the hall. It took slightly longer to spot his eldest brother, and he grinned as he noticed that Elfwine had just corralled his own eldest son, Arawine, likely in preparation of sending him off to bed also.

Moving quickly through the gathering, Theomund came up on his brother, and caught his arm just as he was starting to head toward the nursery. "Can Dariel put him to bed?" Theomund asked tersely. "We have something we need to do."

Noting the tone in his brother's voice, Elfwine nodded and led the way to his wife. Kissing her cheek, he handed off their son and told her, "I will join you in a few moments. Theomund needs my help." She eyed him curiously, but smiled in response and departed without argument.

Turning back to Theomund, Elfwine raised a questioning eyebrow, indicating he should explain. Briefly, Theomund relayed the information their brother had passed on to him, and Elfwine's jaw tightened, his own eyes now searching out the person in question. Both he and Theomund spotted Dunstan simultaneously, and struck off toward him, walking in unison.

Their approach brought them upon him from behind, and they took up position on either side of him, nudging his friends aside. Noting the look on the brothers' faces, no one argued but moved hurriedly away from the three. Now that Dunstan was aware of their presence, he began to feel a little uncomfortable, wondering that they would join him.

Before he could make any comment, Elfwine growled low, "Rumor has it you are thinking of taking advantage of our sister!" He flexed his muscular arms before crossing them over his chest.

"And that you think she will enjoy it so she will not mention to anyone how you forced yourself upon her," Theomund snapped, cracking his knuckles.

Elfwine added, "You are mistaken. Morwen _would_ tell us, but she is not going to have to do so, _is she_?" He leaned in menacingly, giving Dunstan a steely look that was unnerving.

"Because you are _not_ going to upset her by attempting something like that," Theomund demanded, also stepping in closer so Dunstan was tightly hemmed in.

Frenetically, Dunstan shook his head, wide eyed and blinking, his gaze flicking back and forth from one to the other.

"_And_ you are going to make sure no one else even considers doing such a thing either, are you not?" Elfwine pointedly ordered.

"Yes, my lord! Of course!" Dunstan exclaimed, swallowing hard.

"Do not misunderstand," Theomund told him, in a voice that was deceptively soft, yet held a clear threat, "Morwen may kiss whomever _she_ chooses, but _no one_ will force such a thing upon her without her consent. Is that clear?"

Dunstan's head bobbed vigorously, "Yes, my lord!"

"Good! And you do realize that if _anyone_ attempts it, after this warning has been given here and now, we will hold _you_ responsible? We will not hesitate to seek retribution on Morwen's behalf!" Elfwine finished. "So you had best keep a very close eye on our dear sister, and make sure _no one_ approaches her inappropriately!" He allowed a slow, meaningful grin to crease his face, and was amused to see Dunstan looking quite pale.

"Y..yes, my lord! Whatever you wish!" the young man stammered, counting himself fortunate to still be in one piece, and fervently hoping he might remain so.

The siblings each clamped a hand down on his shoulder, unnecessarily hard, to reiterate their point, before slowly moving away.

Hastily, Dunstan headed out to the terrace, suddenly feeling desperately in need of some fresh air. It was not long before his friends joined him there. All stood in uncomfortable silence for several moments, until Anwynd finally ventured, "Well? What did they want?"

Extremely embarrassed, but too afraid not to pass on the warning he had been given, Dunstan told them, "They heard of my plans somehow. Suffice it to say that if any of you goes near Morwen, you had better be certain she is willing. Her brothers will not take kindly to her being upset…and neither will I!"

The boys blinked at the final remark, but none dared question it. After a few moments, Anwynd suggested, "Shall we go dance?"

Eager to put this unpleasantness behind him, Dunstan nodded and moved toward the hall, the rest of his friends trailing in his wake. Until Morwen showed some sort of interest in being approached, they thought it might be best to admire her from a safe distance.

THE END

3/30/08

Anwynd – "one wind or one path"

Dunstan – "hill stone"

in 29 IV, Eomer is 58, Lothiriel 50, Elfwine 28, Theodwyn 21, Theomund 19, Morwen 15, Theodred 6 keep in mind this is an approximate age – they will turn this age at some point during the year, but I do not attempt to differentiate as to whether or not they have yet had their birthday (unless it is important to the plot)

_**End note: **__** It is best that you read the Elfwine Chronicles in the order they were written.**__** The more of them that I wrote, the more likely I was to make reference to one of the previous ones and something that happened there. If you want to read them in order, go to the top of this page and click on my name (Deandra). That will take you to my profile page. Scroll down and you will find all the stories I have written. The Elfwine Chronicles are in order from bottom to top since ffn shows them in the order they were posted. A few were posted out of number order, but you can read them in posting order or number order since those few won't be affected in the story content.**_


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